Wringer driven safety cover release device



July 25, 1967 R A. BRENNER ETAL WRINGER DRIVEN SAFETY COVER RELEASE DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 15,

INVENTOR. $055974 520mm? Mara? WCZ/ZEAPT 1w M ATTORNEYS uly 25, 7 R. A. BRENNER ETAL 3,332,261

WRINGER DRIVEN SAFETY COVER RELEASE DEVICE Filed Dec. 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 9 IN VEN TOR. 90559734 5EE/V/Vf? M6706 W Cafe 5527 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,332,261 WRINGER DRIVEN SAFETY COVER RELEASE DEVICE I Robert A. Brenner, St. Joseph, and Victor W. Cuthbert,

Sodus, Mich, assignors to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 418,498 9 Claims. (Cl. 68-256) This invention relates to improvements in a wringer driven safety cover release device, and more particularly to a safety cover for one of the wringer rolls which in response to pressure frictionally engages the roll it covers and rotates with the roll to trip the release mechanism of a wringer to release pressure between the wringer rolls, the invention being highly desirable for use on a wringer associated with a household clothes washing machine, although the invention will have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various types of pressure release devices have been provided on wringers, but in most instances such formerly known devices were not actuated as a safety measure until after some injury already occurred to the operator such as the entry of a finger or hand between the pressure rolls. There was always the possibility, therefore, that due to sudden pain or hysteria the operator would not be able to think properly and actuate the pressure release means. Even with so-called instinctive pressure release mechanism actuated by an instinctive movement of the operator to withdraw the fingers or a hand from between the pressure rolls was not actuated as a safety means until after some injury occurred. Also, in many cases with wringers of the type heretofore known, it was possible for clothing or other material to become wound around one of the rollers and thereby jamming the wringer, resulting no only in the tedious operation of relieving the jam, but also in the possibility of injury to the wringer drive mechanism.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a safety device or guard which actuates the pressure release mechanism upon contact by fingers or a hand prior to the entry of the fingers or hand between the nip of the pressure rolls.

It is also an important object of this invention to provide a guard element in the form of a cover for one of the wringer rolls that is actuated by the roll itself to cause release of pressure between the rolls when contacted by a finger or hand of the operator.

Still another feature of this invention resides in the provision of a guard element in the form of a cover for one of the rolls and which is actuated by the roll itself when con-tacted to trip the pressure release mechanism, the cover also functioning as a means for intentionally releasing pressure between the rolls when there is no likelihood of injury to the operator.

It is also a desideraturn of this invention to provide a safety cover release device for a wringer, which release device is not only so disposed as to respond to the action of one of the wringer rolls and trip the pressure release mechanism in the event there is danger of the operators finger or hand entering the nip of the pressure rolls, but also which is operated to release pressure in the event there is a tendency of clothing or other material winding around one of the rolls and jamming the wringer.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a wringer of the type utilized on household clothes washing machines,

Fee

squipped with means embodying principles of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view taken substantially as indicated by the line II-II of FIGURE 1, with the shrouding removed;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary end view of the wringer structure with the shrouding removed; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the wringer with the shrouding removed and FIGURE 4a is an inset showing the hand grip in section along line IV-IV.

As shown on the drawings:

Since the wringer with which the instant cover guard is associated is of a conventional type, known to those skilled in the art insofar as the frame, rolls, pressure sustaining and release means and similar general construction is concerned, it is not necessary herein to describe the same in complete detail, general reference to the known parts being sufficient.

The wringer includes a frame comprising a lower channel frame 1 with upstanding end stiles 2 and 3 on the ends of the channel member. Within the frame are a pair of upper and lower pressure rolls 4 and 5 into the nip 6 of which clothing or other material may be fed to have moisture squeezed therefrom. These rolls are driven in the commonly known manner from a wringer head containing forward and reverse gearing, not shown in the drawings.

The source of pressure for the rolls 4 and 5 is a pair of spring cages 7 and 8 each containing a pair of springs, and one cage being mounted in each end stile. The means for applying and maintaining pressure on the rolls is an overcenter toggle linkage, generally indicated by numeral 9, and which is more fully shown and described in our copending application entitled, Instinctive Wringer Release, filed Aug. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 391,571, now abandoned. The toggle linkage includes separate links, one connected as indicated at 10 and the other connected as indicated at 11 to U-shaped levers 12 and 13, the upstanding arms of which in effect embrace the end stiles 2 and 3 respectively. These levers are pivoted in the upper portion thereof to the respective end stiles by cross-pins 14 and 15. Each of these levers, on each side thereof, is provided with an outstanding lug 16 which engages an car 17 projecting laterally from the respective spring cage through a slot 18 in the end stile. When the toggle linkage is moved to pressure maintaining position, as shown in FIGURE 4, the lower ends of the U-levers are drawn inwardly toward the center of the wringer, and the lugs 16 force down the ears 17 to compress the springs and apply pressure to the rolls 4- and 5. The toggle linkage may be moved to pressure applying position by pulling upon a rod or other tension member 19 extending through a lug 20 on the frame, and connected at the inner end to a retracting spring 21 also attached to the end stile 2, which spring draws the rod back to normal position after it has been utilized to set the toggle mechanism.

Pressure on the rolls may be released by actuation by a pair of U-shaped bars, one on each side of the wringer. Each of these bars comprises a lower horizontal portion 22, with arms 23 and 24 upstanding from the ends thereof. The arms are pivoted as indicated at 25 to cars 26 projecting from the end stiles. The portion 22 of each of these bars carries 21 depending bracket 27 which extends inside one of the links 28 of the toggle mechanism, and the bars are cross-connected in a known manner so that a push or pull on either bar will cause the respective bracket 27 to move the link 28 sufiiciently outwardly to move the toggle mechanism out of its overcenter position and release the spring pressure on the rolls.

In the present instance, each upstanding arm of each pressure release bar has an inwardly turned end portion 29 extending across the respective ends of the upper wringer roll 4 sufficiently far to be engaged by the cover guard and release member to be later described.

As indicated in FIGURE 1, the ringer may be provided with a suitable decorative shroud that also provides a drainboard formation 3131 on each side of the wringer. Such shrouding completely encloses the aforesaid pressure release bars.

The cover guard and pressure release device is preferably formed of a transparent thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic material, polypropylene being highly satisfactory, and may readily be cast in one single piece. This cover, generally indicated by numeral 32, comprises an arcuate body portion 33 which, as seen best in FIGURE 2, is of larger diameter than the wringer roll 4 and the side edges 34-34 of which terminate a distance above the drainboards 31-31 and a distance away from the nip 6 of the pressure roll, such distances being sufficient to permit the feeding of clothing or other material to, the pressure rolls, but insufficient to permit fingers or a hand from following the clothing into the nip of the pressure rolls without first contacting the lower edge or margin of the cover.

At each end thereof the body portion 33 of the cover is provided at the top with an outwardly projecting substantially rectangular shoulder 35 which extends beyond the respective end of the wringer roll between the inwardly turned end portions 29-29 of the pressure release bars, as seen best in FIGURES 2 and 3. Adjacent each such shoulder, the body portion 33 is reduced in thickness to provide a groove 36 which receives the end portion of a small housing member 37, FIGURE 1 that conceals the respective shoulder 35. Between the grooves 36 a hand grip 35a is provided by which the user may manually actuate the release mechanism.

In use, the cover 32 merely rests upon the wringer roll 4, and owing to the larger diameter of the cover, the area of contact at 38 between the cover and roll, FIGURE 2, will be a relatively short are. Thus, slipping relation is established between the cover and the roll, the roll slipping relatively to the cover which is maintained in position by light contact with either of the end portions 2929 of the release bars, such contact being of insufficient force to move the bars to release pressure on the rolls.

The cover is somewhat flexible or resilient and if pressure is applied to the cover it will tend to frictionally engage and rotate with the roll and the shoulders 35-35 on the cover will contact one of the release bars with sufficient force to actuate that bar to move the toggle linkage out of its overcenter position and release the pressure of the wringer rolls.

As diagrammatically indicated in FIGURE 2, should the operator be feeding clothing 39 up the respective drainboard to the nip 6 of the wringer roll, there is insufficient room beneath the lower edge of the cover for the operators finger 40 to follow the clothing into the nip of the rolls. The finger, on the contrary, will contact the lower edge or margin of the cover, move that cover inwardly into frictional contact with the upper wringer roll and cause the cover to rotate with the roll from the full line position of FIGURE 2 to the dotted line position and actuate a release bar to remove pressure from the rolls before the operator suffers any injury whatever.

It should also be noted that if the clothing or other ma terial being passed between the wringer rolls tends to wrap itself around the upper wringer roll the cover 32 will either rotate with the upper roll due to pressure exerted by the clothing at edge 34 and thereby release the pressure on the wringer rolls by actuating the release mechanism, or if the pressure exerted by the clothing is insufiicient to cause rotation of cover 32 the clothing will be peeled from the upper wringer roll by edge 34 in doctor blade fashion.

It should be further noted that should it be desired Cir to release roll pressure intentionally when there is no likelihood of danger to the operator, it is a simple expedient for the operator to press her hand against the cover in the upper portion thereof and exert a little pressure on the cover so that it will frictionally engage and rotate with the roll sufiiciently to actuate the respective release bar.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that we have provided a simple, durable, and economical roll actuated cover release device performing three separate functions, namely effecting release of roll pressure before an operators finger or hand can enter the nip of the pressure roll, effecting pressure release in the event clothing or other material tends to wind around a wringer roll, and which may be intentionally operated to release pressure on the wringer rolls when actuated in the same general manner as the formerly known pressure release bars.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a wringer assembly,

a frame,

a pair of pressure rolls in said frame,

means on said frame to apply and maintain pressure on said rolls,

release means on said frame operable to release the pressure on said rolls,

a cover enclosing a substantial part of one of said rolls and in part contacting the same in slipping relation therewith, said cover being movable by the roll due to friction therebetween when sufiicient pressure is applied to the cover radially inwardly against the surface of the roll, and

means on said cover to actuate said release means when the cover moves with said one roll.

2. In a wringer assembly,

a frame,

a pair of pressure rolls in said frame,

means on said frame to apply and maintain pressure on said rolls,

pressure release bars pivoted to said frame one on each side thereof and having inturned upper ends,

said bars when pivoted actuating said means to release the pressure on said rolls,

a cover riding one of said rolls in slipping relation there- 'with until sufficient pressure is applied to the cover to cause the cover to move with said one roll, and

means on said cover projecting between the inturned ends of said release bars to pivot the same when the cover moves with said one roll.

3. In a wringer assembly,

a frame,

a pair of pressure rolls in said frame,

means on said frame to apply and maintain pressure on said rolls,

pressure release bars pivoted to said frame on each side thereof with portions in confronting relationship adjacent the end of one of said rolls,

a cover riding freely on said one roll in slipping relation therewith in the absence of pressure on the cover, and

means on said cover projecting between said confronting release bar portions to maintain the cover in position on said one roll and to actuate one of said release bars when sufiicient pressure is applied to the cover to cause it to move with said one roll.

4. In a wringer assembly,

a frame,

a pair of pressure rolls in said frame,

means on said frame to apply and maintain pressure on said rolls,

release means on said frame to move the first said means and release pressure on said rolls,

an arcuate cover of greater diameter than one of said rolls freely riding said one roll in slipping relation therewith but :being carried by the roll due to friction therebetween upon application of modest pressure on the cover, and

means on said cover to actuate said release means.

5. In a wringer assembly,

a frame,

a pair of pressure rolls in said frame,

means on said frame to apply and maintain pressure on said rolls,

release means on said frame to move the first said means and release pressure on said rolls,

a transparent plastic cover of arcuate shape freely riding one of said rolls in slipping relation and responsive to pressure on the cover to move with the roll, and

an end formation on said cover to contact and actuate said release means when said cover moves with the roll.

6. In a wringer assembly,

a frame,

a pair of pressure rolls in said frame,

means on said frame to apply and maintain pressure on said rolls,

pressure release bars pivoted to said frame on each side thereof with portions extending inwardly into confronting relationship adjacent the end of one of said rolls an arcuate molded plastic one-piece cover riding freely on said one roll in slipping relation therewith and responsive to pressure on the cover to move with the roll, and

an integral substantially rectangular formation projecting from an end of said cover between the confronting portions of said release bars to actuate the same when said cover moves with the roll.

7. In a wringer assembly,

a frame,

a pair of pressure rolls in said frame,

means on said frame to apply and maintain pressure on said rolls,

release means on said frame to move the first said means and release pressure on said rolls,

a transparent plastic cover of arcuate shape freely riding one of said rolls in slipping relation and responsive to pressure on the cover to move with the roll, and

an end formation on said cover to cont-act and actuate said release means when said cover moves with the roll,

said cover being molded of polypropylene.

8. In a wringer assembly,

a frame,

a pair of pressure rolls in said frame forming a nip therebetween,

means on said frame to apply and maintain pressure on said rolls,

release means on said frame to move the first said means and release pressure on said rolls,

drainboard means leading to the nip of said pressure rolls,

an arcuate cover enclosing substantial portion of one of said rolls and responsive to modest pressure to move with said one roll,

the side edges of said cover being spaced from said drainboard means a distance suflicient to permit feeding of material to said rolls but insufiicient to permit passage of a finger with the material without pressing the cover against the roll, and

means on said cover to actuate said release means.

9. In a wringer assembly,

a frame,

a pair of pressure rolls in said frame forming a nip therebetween,

means on said frame to apply and maintain pressure on said rolls,

release means on said frame to move the first said means and release pressure on said rolls,

an arcuate cover enclosing a substantial portion of one of said rolls and being responsive to modest pressure to contact and move with said one roll,

the side edges of said cover extending well beyond the center of said one roll toward the nip of said rolls and in spaced relationship to said one roll whereby if material fed to the nip of said rolls tends to Wind around said one roll said cover will be urged against the roll to move therewith, and

means 'on said cover to actuate said release means when the cover moves with said one roll.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 500,345 6/ 1893 Morgan 68-264 X 1,643,475 9/1927 Smith 68-270 X 1,666,749 4/ 1928 Morehouse et al 68-256 1,792,879 2/ 1931 Weiss 68-263 1,964,286 6/1934 Hamelman 68-270 2,303,211 11/1942 Heetderks 68-270 2,498,975 2/1950 Williams 68-264 X LOUIS O. MAASSEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A WRINGER ASSEMBLY, A FRAME, A PAIR OF PRESSURE ROLLS IN SAID FRAME, MEANS ON SAID FRAME TO APPLY AND MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON SAID ROLLS, RELEASE MEANS ON SAID FRAME OPERABLE TO RELEASE THE PRESSURE ON SAID ROLLS, A COVER ENCLOSING A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF ONE OF SAID ROLLS AND IN PART CONTACTING THE SAME IN SLIPPING RELATION THEREWITH, SAID COVER BEING MOVABLE BY THE ROLL DUE TO FRICTION THEREBETWEEN WHEN SUFFICIENT PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE COVER RADIALLY INWARDLY AGAINST THE SURFACE OF THE ROLL, AND MEANS ON SAID COVER TO ACTUATE SAID RELEASE MEANS WHEN THE COVER MOVES WITH SAID ONE ROLL. 